This study questions the findings of most research claiming that teenage pregnancies are generally unwanted, unplanned and unintended. It starts with the question of why most sexually active teenagers put themselves at risk of becoming pregnant if they do not desire it. The hypothesis is that sentiments of "love" and "aspirations for marriage" are related to starting sexual activity and subsequent pregnancy. The sample is 123 school-age mothers.

This study investigated the differences in the mother-daughter relationship of pregnant and nonpregnant adolescents. Data were gathered from questionnaires completed by 40 nonpregnant and 20 pregnant adolescents. All respondents were single, secondary school students matched on all demographic variables except grade point average which was significantly lower for the pregnant group. Significant differences in perception of their relationships with their mothers were found on love, attention, and interdependence, with the pregnant group perceiving less of these factors.

Feelings of romanticism and self-esteem among pregnant adolescents, adolescent mothers, and a control group of nonpregnant, nonparenting adolescents were investigated. The Bachman Self-Esteem Scale (Bachman, O'Malley, & Johnston, 1978) and the Dean Romanticism Scale (Dean, 1961) were distributed to 649 U.S. female adolescents--255 pregnant adolescents, 121 adolescent mothers, and 273 teenagers in the control group.

AIDS education and prevention: official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education

Although there is some evidence that relationship-level factors influence sexual behavior, they have received far less attention than individual-level factors as potential correlates of condom use. This study surveyed 210 undergraduate men and women to examine the association between relationship characteristics and condom use. Higher levels of love, longer relationships and more serious and committed relationships were individually associated with less condom use.

To challenge the distribution of condoms on school campuses with accusations of immorality and "lack of good character" appears shallow at best. Considering the home situation of many young people and their immediate environment, the act of securing a condom could be totally consistent with "good character." Certainly, abstinence up to a certain stage in a youth's life is prudent, but who is to determine the age to which, and the environment in which, abstinence must be observed universally?